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Year 6

Writing the second half of a narrative climax scene in 'When The Sky Falls'

I can write the second half of a narrative climax scene in ’When The Sky Falls’, using a range of techniques to build tension and show fast-paced action.

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New
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Year 6

Writing the second half of a narrative climax scene in 'When The Sky Falls'

I can write the second half of a narrative climax scene in ’When The Sky Falls’, using a range of techniques to build tension and show fast-paced action.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Writing is most successful when structure, content and vocabulary is planned.
  2. Our climax should have a tense, fast-paced mood.
  3. We can combine descriptive details and emotive details to paint a clear picture for the reader.
  4. We can use a range of linguistic techniques and cohesive devices for increasing the pace.
  5. We use precise vocabulary to add to the impression of speed.

Common misconception

Pupils may forget to cover the 'events' of the story while focusing on descriptive and emotive details.

Ensure that you emphasise the need to move the action forwards and that you model this in oral rehearsal.

Keywords

  • Climax - the point in the narrative where the suspense and excitement reach their highest point

  • Mood - the feeling or atmosphere in a section of text

  • Descriptive details - details that tell us what a character is experiencing (seeing hearing, doing, smelling) during a scene

  • Emotive details - details that tell us what a character is feeling and thinking during a scene

  • Precise vocabulary - vocabulary chosen to create a particular impression or to have a particular effect on the reader

Remind pupils that varying their sentence length is key to creating a tense, fast-paced climax that is also rich in descriptive and emotive detail.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What parts of the climax of 'When the Sky Falls' are we including in our narrative retelling?
Correct answer: Joseph running through the air raid to the zoo
Correct answer: Joseph training the gun on Adonis, but being knocked to the ground
Adonis guarding Joseph and helping him get free from the rubble
Joseph trying to stop Adonis being shot
Q2.
Why do we want to give a sense of 'speed' in our narrative retelling of the climax of 'When the Sky Falls'?
so that it can be read quickly
because the events are not very exciting
Correct answer: to show that events are coming thick and fast
Correct answer: to build a sense of the pressure Joseph is under
Q3.
Match the features of writing a narrative climax to the examples.
Correct Answer:descriptive details,an explosion shattered the buildings to his left

an explosion shattered the buildings to his left

Correct Answer:emotive details,he was determined to press onwards

he was determined to press onwards

Correct Answer:precise vocabulary,he threw himself on through the burning chaos

he threw himself on through the burning chaos

Q4.
Which technique for increasing pace and tension is shown here? 'Then it came. A hail of fire from above. A cascade of destruction.'
direct speech
rhetorical questions
succession of short simple sentences
Correct answer: verbless sentences
Q5.
Which cohesive device for increasing pace and tension is shown here? 'Only one thought dominated his mind: what would Mrs F want him to do?'
Correct answer: colon to introduce a question
ellipsis to show tension
'quick' fronted adverbial of time
semi-colons to give rapid description
colon to introduce an explanation
Q6.
Which examples combine these two ideas correctly using cohesive devices? 'An explosion shook the ground. Joseph pressed on regardless.'
Correct answer: An explosion shook the ground, but Joseph pressed on regardless.
As an explosion shook the ground, but Joseph pressed on regardless.
Correct answer: As an explosion shook the ground, Joseph pressed on regardless.
As an explosion shook the ground and Joseph pressed on regardless.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What attributes does Joseph show in the climax section of 'When the Sky Falls' that we have written?
Correct answer: bravery
Correct answer: determination
helplessness
sadness
Q2.
What mood have we aimed to set in our narrative retelling of the climax of 'When the Sky Falls'?
Correct answer: fast-paced
relaxed
Correct answer: dramatic
Correct answer: tense
content
Q3.
Which technique for increasing pace and tension is shown here? 'Why had he even come? What could he possibly achieve? How could he do anything in this chaos?'
Correct answer: rhetorical questions
verbless sentences
succession of short simple sentences
'quick' fronted adverbial of time
Q4.
Which techniques for increasing pace and tension are shown here? 'Suddenly, above him, he saw the bombers turning again, racing down to attack him.'
colon to introduce a question
Correct answer: precise vocabulary that shows speed
Correct answer: 'quick' fronted adverbial of time
semi-colons to give rapid description
Q5.
What is the effect of using a succession of simple sentences in our writing?
Correct answer: it increases the pace and tension
it reduces the pace and tension
it allows us to include lots of descriptive detail
it allows us to include lots of emotive detail
Q6.
If this passage comes at the end of our climax, what punctuation might follow it? 'Joseph knew he had to do his duty. No matter what'
question mark
colon
Correct answer: ellipsis
Correct answer: full stop
semi-colon